Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart: Low Cost, High Performance
Motoring Channel Staff - 15/January/2007
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 Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
 A work of Ralliart: the new turbo Lancer will be more affordable than the top shelf Evolution
 With a similar AWD driveline as the Lancer Evo X but with less power, the Ralliart will go hard
 Expect the new Ralliart Lancer to be priced similarly to the Subaru WRX
 The new Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart will deliver excellent bang for your buck in '08
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Detroit, America —
The cat is out of the bag - Mitsubishi finally has a Subaru Impreza WRX
rival in the form of the Lancer Ralliart, which made its global debut
at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show. Sitting between the standard
Lancer sedan models and the giant-killing Lancer Evolution X, the new
Ralliart model is set to become a new icon in the hot four segment. Arriving
in Australia before the half-way mark of 2008, the new
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart will feature a de-tuned version of the
Lancer Evolution X's stove-hot 2.0-litre turbo engine, outputting
roughly 175kW (down from about 206kW). Along with the reduced power output comes a reduced price and you can bet
that there'll be a lot of these models on international roads and racetracks once
it's launched globally. When
it arrives in Australian dealerships, the Lancer Ralliart is
expected to be priced at around $40,000 to compete on the showroom
floor with the new Subaru WRX STI hatch. The hardcore Lancer
Evolution range has traditionally rivalled the Subaru WRX STI, but the
169kW Subaru WRX has not had a direct Japanese rival until now. Both models are all-wheel drive, both have turbocharged 4-cylinder engines and the power comparison is as follows: Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart: 175kW
Subaru Impreza WRX: 169kW
Mitsubishi says the engine is mated
to an SST gearbox that "delivers highly-efficient
power transmission while enhancing the sporty driving qualities of the
vehicle with lightning-quick, silky-smooth, paddle-actuated shifts or
programmed fully-auto modes." While
the Lancer Ralliart appears to have the edge on paper by 6 kilowatts,
that edge is likely to be reduced when the car arrives in Australia due
to our hotter climate and poorer quality fuels. One thing the
Mitsubishi will have over the Subaru which could give it the edge
is a 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox option (or Twin-Clutch SST in
Mitsubishi's own words), while other options for the American-spec
model launched in Detroit include things like Recaro seats, HID headlights, a 650 watt Rockford
Fosgate audio system with 9-speakers, Sirius satellite radio, a power sunroof,
and a 30Gb hard disk satellite navigation system. While
you will have to pay extra for those things, the aggressive design
comes with the sticker price. Though it's not quite as wild looking as
the Evolution model, the Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart gets the hood vents
and scoop, a low rise rear spoiler, a ground hugging body kit and twin
exhaust outlets. The Ralliart model
won't be as fast in a straight line or through corners as the Lancer
Evolution model due to different tyres and less engine power, but it
still benefits from it's hi-po cousin'sfull-time 4WD
driveline. This 4x4 setup consists of an active center differential (ACD) that works via an electronically controlled multi-plate clutch center
differential, which vectors drive torque to the front and rear axles according to
different driving conditions to provide increased levels of traction and response. The Lancer Ralliart will also be equipped with a front helical
and rear mechanical limited slip differentials, says Mitsubishi. Related
Articles: - Mitsubishi Evolution X (2008)
- Mitsubishi Concept-RA (2008) - Mitsubishi Lancer (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback (2009) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X (2008) - Mitsubishi Outlander (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Prototype X Concept (2008) - Suzuki Swift Sport vs. Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt (Road Test) - Mitsubishi 380 VRX (Road Test) - Mitsubishi Ralliart Colt (Road Test)
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